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A massive disruption to air travel occurred yesterday across South Korea, China, Japan, India, the UAE, and beyond, as 514 flights were cancelled and 5,262 delayed, affecting major airlines like All Nippon, Batik Air, China Eastern, and FlyDubai. The chaos was primarily driven by a combination of severe weather conditions, overburdened airport infrastructures, and unanticipated operational challenges that crippled airports in Beijing, Jakarta, Delhi, Dubai, and others. These widespread issues resulted in significant flight delays and cancellations, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded and disrupting both domestic and international travel across the region.
Yesterday saw a significant aviation meltdown across Asia, with 514 flights cancelled and 5,262 flights delayed due to severe operational disruptions across multiple countries. Airlines like China Eastern, FlyDubai, All Nippon, Batik Air, and Emirates were hit hardest, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded across airports in China, Japan, South Korea, India, UAE, and Indonesia, among others.
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The following breakdown provides an airport-by-airport analysis and insight into the delays and cancellations across various Asian countries, helping passengers navigate the chaos.
China’s aviation hubs, particularly in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Shanghai, were hit hardest, as thousands of domestic and international flights were cancelled or delayed.
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Japan’s airports saw some of the largest flight delays, with Haneda and Fukuoka bearing the brunt of cancellations.
Incheon International Airport, South Korea’s busiest hub, also saw significant delays and cancellations, causing severe travel disruptions.
Indian airports, especially Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai, faced heavy delays due to the ripple effect caused by regional disruptions.
Dubai International Airport (DXB), one of the world’s busiest airports, recorded substantial flight delays during the disruption.
Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int’l (CGK) also felt the effects of this regional disruption, with significant delays at one of Southeast Asia’s busiest airports.
Islamabad International Airport (ISB) reported high delays, with flights being held up due to widespread operational chaos.
Other airports across the region also reported delays, though they were on a somewhat smaller scale in terms of cancellations.
Here’s a table of affected airlines across Asia, outlining their respective cancellations and delay counts:
| Airline | Cancelled (#) | Cancelled (%) | Delayed (#) | Delayed (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China Eastern | 84 | 3% | 315 | 14% |
| Shenzhen Airlines | 53 | 8% | 179 | 28% |
| China Express Airlines | 32 | 7% | 79 | 18% |
| Hainan Airlines | 23 | 3% | 109 | 15% |
| China Southern Airlines | 21 | 1% | 346 | 17% |
| Air China | 19 | 1% | 204 | 13% |
| Shanghai Airlines | 17 | 6% | 40 | 15% |
| ANA Wings | 12 | 3% | 116 | 32% |
| Solaseed | 12 | 7% | 35 | 21% |
| Tianjin Airlines | 10 | 3% | 41 | 13% |
| Batik Air | 10 | 3% | 40 | 13% |
| XiamenAir | 9 | 1% | 91 | 16% |
| IndiGo | 8 | 0% | 284 | 12% |
| Pakistan International Airlines | 8 | 9% | 43 | 50% |
| SpiceJet | 6 | 3% | 66 | 41% |
| China United Airlines | 6 | 2% | 41 | 19% |
| FlyDubai | 6 | 3% | 28 | 16% |
| Japan Air Commuter | 5 | 4% | 32 | 30% |
| Mandarin | 4 | 3% | 58 | 51% |
| Oriental Air Bridge | 4 | 3% | 36 | 34% |
| Chengdu Airlines | 4 | 1% | 32 | 9% |
| Tibet Airlines | 4 | 2% | 31 | 16% |
| Israir | 4 | 15% | 2 | 7% |
| Kuwait Airways Corporation | 4 | 16% | 1 | 4% |
| Ibex | 3 | 2% | 24 | 20% |
| Air Arabia | 3 | 2% | 22 | 18% |
| Spring Airlines | 2 | 0% | 96 | 16% |
| Juneyao Airlines | 2 | 0% | 59 | 15% |
| Qingdao Airlines | 2 | 1% | 33 | 27% |
| Philippine Air Lines | 2 | 1% | 16 | 12% |
| Royal Jordanian | 2 | 1% | 16 | 15% |
| Genghis Khan | 2 | 5% | 4 | 11% |
| All Nippon | 1 | 0% | 192 | 27% |
| Cathay Pacific | 1 | 0% | 184 | 42% |
| Saudia | 1 | 0% | 130 | 22% |
| Emirates | 1 | 0% | 100 | 25% |
| Jetstar Japan | 1 | 0% | 59 | 56% |
| Air Macau | 1 | 1% | 45 | 56% |
| UNI Air | 1 | 0% | 34 | 25% |
| West Air | 1 | 0% | 23 | 14% |
| PAL Express | 1 | 0% | 16 | 6% |
What Passengers Can Do:
The scale of the disruptions — both cancellations and delays — caused massive travel chaos across Asia. With 514 flights cancelled and 5,262 delayed, hundreds of passengers were left in a travel limbo, especially at major hubs like Beijing, Delhi, and Dubai.
This widespread event, spanning from China to Japan, India, and the Middle East, underscores the vulnerabilities in today’s complex aviation network. If you’re travelling through Asia, be prepared for extended wait times, potential rebookings, and an overwhelming airport experience.
Flights Cancelled Across Asia As South Korea, China, Japan, India, UAE and More Cancel 514 and Delay 5,262 Flights, Disrupting All Nippon, Batik Air, China Eastern, FlyDubai and Others in Beijing, Jakarta, Delhi, Dubai and Beyond.
Yesterday’s aviation storm across Asia left a massive disruption affecting hundreds of flights across China, Japan, South Korea, India, the UAE, and Indonesia. As airports were overwhelmed, airlines scrambled to get back on track, but the delays and cancellations rippled throughout the global aviation system, impacting not just passengers, but the entire operational framework of air travel across Asia.
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